Electrical control mechanism.



C. PBACHE.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION men Aue.19. 1913.

1,212,554. r Patented Jan.16,1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLESPRACHE, or PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL MECHANISM.

Application filed August 19, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PRACHE, residing at Paris, France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical v Control Mechanism, which improvement is fully setforth in the following specification. This invention relates to remote control mechanism and has for its object anelectric control system which allows the movement of one or more parts, for example a search light, to be controlled from a distance.

Each part or group of parts controlled is actuated by means of a suitable motor and according to this invention the movements of the parts or groups of parts are caused by the different positions of equilibrium assumed by a suitable electric motor arrangement placed in the neutral wire of an arrangement identical with or similar in principle to a Wheatstone bridge whose balance is disturbed by varying one of the resistances of the bridge located at the control station. The current dueto such disturbanceactuates the motor arrangement which through the intermediary of suitable controlling devices acts upon one or more of the other resistances in such a manner as to,

restore the balance of the bridge. In' its movement the motor'makes successively several contacts which each close for example the control circuit for the movement of some part or other. Each position of the resistance switch at the control station corresponds to a given position of the motor arrangement and therefore to a displacement of some or other of the parts controlled. One advantage of the arrangement is that it is absolutely independent of the varitions in voltage of the line. In place of directly closing the contacts of the motors which move the parts to be actuated relays are preferably set in action which in their turn close the contacts for such motors.

When at the control post the balance of the bridge is disturbed, the motor arrangement 1 will move and again assume a position of equilibrium but before making the contact appertaining to such position it may make and break a number of contacts which precede suchi contact and thus cause a momentary making and breaking of circuits corresponding for example to the movement of other parts. In order to prevent any undesired movements the motor parts or the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917. Serial No. 785,512.

relays may be sluggish in their operation and made to possess an inertia sufiicient to prevent a momentary closing of the circuit from operating a'motor.

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically one arrangement for carrying out this invention.

In this drawing the Wheatstone bridge is composed of four resistances A B G D and a neutral Wire a upon which is branched the motor arrangement M (a galvanometer, electric motor, etc.) capable of turning about its axis X in either direction accordv ing to the direction of the current passing in the wire a.

E is an arm (or a series of press buttons,

or any other suitable arrangement,) in series with the resistanceA whose movement varies the resistance and therefore disturbs the balance of the bridge. The source of electric current is only indicated in the drawings by the and signs.

The motor- M in turning moves the arm E which bothvaries the resistance G and makes one or more of the contacts F to F 5 corresponding to circuits G to G controlling the difierent motor arrangements of the parts to be actuated. The resistance A is at the controlling station while the resistance G is arranged at the controlled stacontacts F .F which determine the movement of one of the parts controlled. Claims 1. In remote control mechanism, the com- I bination of a Wheatstone bridge having two variable resistances, one of said variable re-' sistances being located-at the control station, the other variable resistance being located 'at-the controlled station, a sluggish relay,

and an electric device connected in circuit with the bridge, the device operating in response to variations in the resistance at the control station and having a part cooperating with the variable resistance at the controlled station to restore the electrical balance of the bridge and to bring the electric device to rest for a suflicient time to operate the relay.

2. In a remote control mechanism, the combination of a sluggish relay, a device comprising two variable resistances, and an electric device controlling said relay and connected in circuit with said resistances and responsive to variations of one of said resistances and having a part cooperating with the other resistance to bring the electric device to rest for a 'sufli cient period to.

cause the operation of the relay.

3. In a remote control mechanism the combination of a plurality of sluggish relays controlling separate circuits, two circuits in parallel, each circuit comprising a variableresistance, and an electric device capable of causing the operation of any one of said relays, said electric device being connected with said variable resistances and operating in response to variations of one of said resistances, said. device having a part cooperating with the other resistance to bring said device to rest at a predetermined point and for asufiicient period to cause a selected relay to operate. I i

4. In a'remote control mechanism, the combination of two circuits in parallel, each circuit including a variable resistance, a' plu rality ofdevices to be controlled, and means' in circuit with said resistances and operating in response to the variation of one of said resistances to cause the operation of a selected one of said devices.

5. In aremote control mechanism the combination of a l/Vheatstone bridge having variable resistance in two of the limbs thereof,

-an electric motor connected in circuit with the neutral. conductor of thebridge, and a plurality of relays controlling separate circuits said motor being capable of causing the energization of any selected relay and operating in response to variationsof one of said resistances, said motor carrying a part cooperating with the other variable resistance to bring said motor to rest at a predetermined point to cause theoperation of a I selected relay.

-6. In an electric control mechanism the combination of a Wheatstone bridge having variable resistances in circuit with two limbs thereof, an electrical devlce in circuit with said bridge and operative in response to variations of one of sa1d resistances, means whereby the other variable resistance is controlled by said electric device, a plurality of relays controlling separate circuits, said electric device being-capable of energizing any selected relay.

7. In an electric control mechanism, the combination of a Wheatstone bridge having variable resistances in two limbs thereof, an electric circuit to be controlled, an electrical device in circuit with .said bridge, means whereby said device operates in response to variations in one of said resistances to control said electric circuit and to adjust the other resistance to balance the bridge and bring said device to rest at a predetermined point, a plurality of relays controlling sepable of energizing any selected relay.

8'. In a remote control mechanism, the

combination of a source of current supply, a Wheatstone bridge connected to said current supply, said bridge comprising variable resistances in two limbs thereof, an electric motor connected across the neutral points of I said bridge, said motor operating in response to .variatlons of one of sa1d resistances, a

series of separate circuits, a separate relay for controlling each of said circuits, each relay having a coil connected with one branch of said source ofsupply, means movable by said motorfor completing the connection of any coil to the other branch of the supply, and means cooperatin with the other variable resistance for bringing saidmotor to rest at a predetermined point corresponding' to a selected relay.

In-testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v 1 CHARLES PRACHE.

Witnesses: I

HANSON C. Coxn, GASTON BRUNDARY. 

